PROPHECY; PROPHET ｜ 预言与先知

ENPROPHECY; PROPHET. Primarily and essentially, prophecy means proclamation or preaching; prophet, an announcer or forth-speaker, a preacher. Intent and significance of prophecy, with a reference to "critical" disparagement of its value—by Simeon Gilbert, D.D. [It is to be remembered that the Bible in its divinely inspired completeness is a book meant for a perpetual and world-wide use, and that it takes the two component parts of it, Old Testament and New Testament, to constitute the unity of God's revelation for the salvation of men. No doubt the utterances of the prophets had an immediate timeliness, and a keen pertinence to then existing conditions and needs; and yet the value of the prophecy did not end with the primary occasion, nor was its use divinely intended for that first occasion only. Whose intent? It is said that it is the purpose of a scientific historic exegesis to interpret each passage according to its intent, and not according to the understanding of a later age. As to this assertion, it makes all the difference in the world whose intent it is that is meant—the human intent, or the divine intention. Just how clearly or how dimly the inspired prophet understood his own message, none but an inspired "critic" could say. It cannot be a wisely proportioned exegesis that lays more stress upon the circumstances which served as the occasion for an inspired prophecy than upon the total significance of the prophecy itself.]

BSB2 Peter 1:20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation.

中预言；先知。就本义与本质而言，预言（prophecy）就是宣告或讲道；先知（prophet）就是宣告者、代言者，即传讲的人。预言的用意与意义，兼论『批判学派』对其价值的贬抑——吉尔伯特（Simeon Gilbert）著。〔应当记得：圣经，就其受神默示的完整性而言，是一本为着长久而普世之用所预备的书；并且必须旧约与新约这两个组成部分合起来，才构成神为拯救世人所赐启示的整体。先知的话语无疑有其当下的时效性，对当时的处境与需要有敏锐的针对性；然而预言的价值并不随最初的场合而告终，神也并未定意它只用于那第一个场合。是谁的用意？有人说，科学的历史释经，其宗旨是按每段经文『本来的用意』去解释，而不是按后世的理解去解释。对这一主张，关键全在于：所说的『用意』究竟是谁的用意——是人的用意，还是神的旨意？那受默示的先知对自己的信息究竟明白到何等清楚或何等朦胧，除非有一位同样受默示的『批评家』，谁也说不上来。若一种释经把重点更多放在促成某段受默示之预言的外在情境上，而不是放在该预言本身的整体意义上，它就不可能是一种比例得当的释经。〕

EN[Biblical scholars nowadays—"modern critics" they seem to be fond of calling themselves—are of course right in their tireless effort to get at and to set forth the circumstances and needs of the times which gave these prophecies birth. This more careful search and research as to the occasions for the divine kindling and re-kindling of the great "hope of Israel," alike by prefigurement and by prediction, thus making ever more clear and more impressive the things concerning the Saviour who was to come, cannot be too strongly commended; and all the lights of modern study and archaeological discovery are eagerly welcomed. And yet it is worth while for the critics to remember that when the disciples of Christ declared, "Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?" it is not at all likely that the so strangely enkindled interest was made to burn within them by some merely critical expatiation about circumstances and temporary occasions. It is therefore a mistake to disparage the value of prophecy for all time—as, for instance, is done by such assertions as that, while "preaching was the great work of the Old Testament prophets," "foretelling future events was merely subsidiary." Isaiah, as in chapter 53, was foretelling future events—the Event of all time; but no sufficiently thoughtful evangelical interpretation would like to speak of this as "merely subsidiary" to the prophet's preaching to that particular generation. Nor is it the question of chief importance, concerning any particular installment in the ancient unfolding of the world's great hope, just how much or how little the favored prophet himself was at the time given distinctly to understand: dogmatism at this point would be an obvious impertinence. But for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that was upon him, the prophet could not have had any sort of expectations about Him. That class of critics who, holding to evolution only, deny that the supernatural had anything to do with the Bible, are at least consistent in denying that any of the so-called prophets could have had any real expectations about Christ. But Christ Himself, speaking of Abraham, declared, "He saw My day, and was glad." It may be critical enough; it is not reverent scholarship, nor in any true sense scientific exegesis, that would claim in the matter of Messianic prophecy to be wiser than the Christ Himself. Let historic and scientific studies do their utmost to explain the circumstances and primary occasions of such prophecies; but that should be no excuse for attempts to explain them away, or to write them down as "merely subsidiary." Simeon Gilbert.]

BSBLuke 24:32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

中〔今日的圣经学者——他们似乎乐于自称『现代批判学者』——不知疲倦地探求并陈明促成这些预言诞生的时代情境与需要，这当然是对的。对于神藉预表与预告一次次点燃、重燃那伟大的『以色列的指望』之各种契机所作的这种更细致的搜寻与考究，使关乎那位将要来的救主之事愈发清楚、愈发深入人心——这怎样称许都不为过；现代研究与考古发现所带来的一切光亮，我们都热切欢迎。然而，批判学者不妨记得：当基督的门徒说『在路上，他和我们说话，给我们讲解圣经的时候，我们的心岂不是火热的吗？』时，那被如此奇妙地点燃的兴趣，实在不大可能是由某种纯粹考据式的、关于情境与一时场合的铺陈所点燃的。所以，贬低预言历世历代的价值乃是错误——譬如有人断言：旧约先知的『大工是讲道』，而『预告将来之事不过是附带的』。以赛亚在第 53 章正是在预告将来之事——预告那件历世历代之中最重大的事件；但凡足够审慎的福音派解释，都不会愿意说这相对于先知对那一代人的讲道而言『不过是附带的』。而且，关于世界这一伟大盼望在古时逐步展开中的任何一段，最要紧的问题也不是那位蒙恩的先知当时被明确赐下多少或多少的理解：在这一点上武断地下断语，显然是一种僭越。若不是圣灵的默示临到他，先知根本不可能对那一位怀有任何期待。那一类只持进化论、否认超自然与圣经有任何关系的批判学者，他们否认所谓的先知能对基督怀有任何真实的期待——这至少是前后一致的。但基督自己论到亚伯拉罕时曾宣告：『他看见我的日子，就快乐。』这种态度也许够『批判』了；但在弥赛亚预言的事上自命比基督本人更有智慧，那不是敬虔的学问，无论从哪个真实的意义上说，也不是科学的释经。就让历史的与科学的研究竭尽全力去说明这些预言的情境与最初的场合吧；但这不该成为借口，去把它们解释掉，或把它们贬低为『不过是附带的』。吉尔伯特（Simeon Gilbert）〕

ENNon-writing prophets of earlier times. These occupied a peculiar position and performed a specially needed work. First, Moses, the mouthpiece of God to the forming nation, Israel: his prophecies or teachings are summed up in the full, rich, radically instructive and deeply spiritual addresses, final message and prophecy contained in Deuteronomy. Next, Samuel, and the schools for teachers founded by him: but few addresses of Samuel are recorded in the books that bear his name, yet the spirit of his teachings is identical with that of his great predecessor. Elijah and Elisha had a special mission, purely personal, as prophets or teachers; but the reach of their influence extended over Israel and Syria. They also were specially gifted, at occasional junctures, with a fore-vision of particular events, and authorized to announce them. Writing prophets. Of these the number is sixteen, one of whom, Jeremiah, is the writer of two books. Many personal incidents are included in the books of written prophecy, and the history finds fuller statement and illustration in these personal records. Element of prediction in the Old Testament prophets. This is separable from their primary and main office of preaching, and is readily discriminated in their writings. Unconditional predictions, fulfilled: concerning Israel; concerning Jerusalem and the Jews; concerning Babylon (Isa. 13, 14, 21; Jer. 50, 51); concerning Egypt (Isa. 18-20; Jer. 46; Ezek. 29-32); concerning Edom, Arabia and Jerusalem (Isa. 21, 22, 29; Jer. 49; Ezek. 25, 35; Obadiah); concerning Elam (Jer. 49); concerning Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Damascus (Isa. 14-17; Jer. 47-49; Ezek. 25); concerning Samaria and the Northern Kingdom, and Judah (Isa. 28); concerning Nineveh (Nahum); concerning Tyre and Zidon (Isa. 23). Conditional predictions, also fulfilled, concerning Israel: these are found in various passages, mainly brief, in Deuteronomy and in the written prophecies of widest scope and minutest detail.

BSBDeuteronomy 18:18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.

中早期不著书的先知。他们所处的地位特殊，所作的工也是特别需要的。首先是摩西，他是神向那正在成形的民族以色列说话的口：他的预言或教训，总括于申命记中那些丰满、丰富、根本地富有教益、极具属灵深度的讲论、临别信息与预言之中。其次是撒母耳，以及他所创立的先知学校：以他为名的两卷书中所载他的讲论极少，但他教训的精神与他伟大的前辈完全一致。以利亚与以利沙作为先知或教师，有一项纯属个人性的特殊使命；但他们影响所及，遍于以色列与亚兰。他们也在若干关头蒙特别恩赐，得见某些事件的预象，并受权宣告出来。著书的先知。这类先知共十六位，其中耶利米一人写了两卷书。成文的预言书中包含许多个人经历的事迹，历史也在这些个人记述中得着更充分的陈述与例证。旧约先知书中『预告』的成分。这一成分可与他们首要而主要的『讲道』之职分开，在他们的著作中也很容易辨别。已应验的无条件预告：关乎以色列；关乎耶路撒冷与犹太人；关乎巴比伦（以赛亚书 13、14、21 章；耶利米书 50、51 章）；关乎埃及（以赛亚书 18-20 章；耶利米书 46 章；以西结书 29-32 章）；关乎以东、阿拉伯与耶路撒冷（以赛亚书 21、22、29 章；耶利米书 49 章；以西结书 25、35 章；俄巴底亚书）；关乎以拦（耶利米书 49 章）；关乎非利士、摩押、亚扪、大马士革（以赛亚书 14-17 章；耶利米书 47-49 章；以西结书 25 章）；关乎撒玛利亚与北国，以及犹大（以赛亚书 28 章）；关乎尼尼微（那鸿书）；关乎推罗与西顿（以赛亚书 23 章）。同样已应验的、关乎以色列的有条件预告：散见于申命记中多处简短经文，以及范围最广、细节最微的成文预言书中。

ENBOOKS OF WRITTEN PROPHECY—an outline by D. S. Gregory, D.D. The written prophecies record the struggle of Divine Grace—through the prophets—in connection with the chastisements and judgments of Jehovah, administered through the successive great world-monarchies, Assyria, Babylon, Greece and Rome, to save a remnant of the Chosen People through faith in a coming Messiah and His spiritual Kingdom, and to prepare them for that coming and Kingdom. Two things are requisite by way of preparation for the study of the written prophecies: (1) a knowledge of the position and function of the prophet; (2) an understanding of the proper relation of the prophetical writings to the history of the Chosen People and of the great world-monarchies. In the later period of Israel's downward career, prophets with special prophetical gifts were raised up to meet the peculiar exigencies in the history and experience; and a little more than eight hundred years before the Advent—in the time of Amaziah in Judah and Jeroboam II. in Israel—their messages began to be recorded in the written prophecies now in our possession. The mission of these later prophets embraced: (1) in general, the new and more comprehensive task of striving to save the Chosen People from utter annihilation by the great world-empires by which they were surrounded, and to bring out of the wreck the elect remnant with which to begin a new and more spiritual development looking to the times of Messiah; (2) in connection with this, the task of vindicating the character of Jehovah, especially His holiness, omnipotence and omniscience, against all the heathen gods and monarchs, and of exhibiting His fidelity to His covenant even with an unfaithful covenant people; (3) beyond these, the more permanent work of preparing the written prophecies to furnish light and guidance for the Chosen People in the later centuries of their experience. The prophetic books are to be arranged and studied in connection with the advancing purpose of God in redemption. This gives: 1st, the prophets of the Assyrian period (about B.C. 840 to 700), whose aim was to save Israel and Judah from destruction by Assyria; 2d, the prophets of the Babylonian period (about 640 to 606), whose aim was to save Judah from destruction by Babylon; 3d, the prophets of the Exile (B.C. 606 to 536), whose aim was to prepare a remnant for restoration and for the new and more spiritual development; 4th, the prophets of the Restoration (B.C. 536 to 433), whose mission was to co-operate with Ezra and Nehemiah in their work.

BSBAmos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.

中成文预言书——格雷戈里（D. S. Gregory）纲要。成文的预言记录了神的恩典借着先知所作的争战：这争战与耶和华的管教和审判相连，而那管教审判是借着相继而起的几大世界霸权——亚述、巴比伦、希腊、罗马——施行的；其目的是要藉着对将来弥赛亚及其属灵国度的信心，救出选民中的余种，并预备他们迎接那降临与那国度。研读成文预言书，须有两项准备：（1）认识先知的地位与职能；（2）明白预言书与选民之历史、与几大世界霸权之历史之间的正确关系。在以色列走下坡路的后期，神兴起了具特殊预言恩赐的先知，以应付历史与经历中的特殊危局；而在基督降临前八百余年——犹大王亚玛谢、以色列王耶罗波安二世的时代——他们的信息开始被记录下来，成为我们今日手中的成文预言书。这些较晚先知的使命包括：（1）总的来说，是一项更新更全面的任务：竭力挽救选民，免得被四围的世界帝国彻底消灭，并要从残局中带出那蒙拣选的余种，用以开始一段新的、更属灵的发展，指向弥赛亚的时代；（2）与此相连的任务，是为耶和华的性情申辩——尤其是他的圣洁、全能、全知——以对抗一切外邦的神明与君王；并要显明：即便面对不忠的立约之民，他仍守约不渝；（3）此外还有一项更为长久的工作：预备下成文的预言书，为选民日后数百年的经历提供亮光与引导。预言书当按神救赎旨意的推进次序来编排与研读。据此可分：第一，亚述期的先知（约主前 840–700 年），其目标是救以色列与犹大脱离亚述的毁灭；第二，巴比伦期的先知（约主前 640–606 年），其目标是救犹大脱离巴比伦的毁灭；第三，被掳期的先知（主前 606–536 年），其目标是为归回、为那新的更属灵之发展预备余种；第四，归回期的先知（主前 536–433 年），其使命是与以斯拉、尼希米的工作配搭同工。

ENProphets of the Assyrian period. The prophets of this period strove to stem the tide of idolatry and corruption in the two kingdoms, and to prevent the apostasy and destruction of the covenant people by their enemies. The first grand enemy of both Judah and Israel was Assyria—Syria and Egypt being of secondary importance—and from B.C. 820 until the downfall of Israel, 721 B.C., the aim of the prophets was to save both Israel and Judah from Assyria. For twenty-one years thereafter the same prophets of Judah continued their work for Judah in Hezekiah's time, until after the deliverance of that kingdom from Sennacherib. Some of the prophets were sent mainly to the Ten Tribes, or Israel proper; others had messages mainly for Judah. The prophets for Israel—Hosea, Amos, Jonah and Micah—sought to save Israel from apostasy and destruction, and failed. The worship of the golden calves led to other forms of idolatry, and Israel was swept away by the divine judgment, B.C. 721. A chosen few rejected the idolatrous worship, adhered to the covenant with Jehovah, and became identified with the kingdom of Judah; but the masses perished. The prophets succeeded, however, in helping to sift out a remnant of faithful ones; and by their Messianic utterances they cheered and encouraged the faithful, and turned their thoughts and hopes toward the true and spiritual Theocracy to be established by the Messiah at His coming. The prophets for Judah—Joel, Isaiah, Obadiah and Micah—wrought side by side with those for Israel to save Judah from a similar fate, and continued their work after the fall of Samaria for twenty years and more, under Hezekiah, in thwarting the purposes of Sennacherib. The times were eventful in Judah: under Uzziah and Jotham there was apparent prosperity, but luxury and sensual indulgence were rapidly increasing, the religious ceremonies were fast becoming a mere mockery, and real piety was manifestly dying out; and as always in such times of declension, false teachers and false prophets began to abound. Under the wicked Ahaz the worship of Baal and of the high places was set up, and idolatry became well-nigh universal; and when Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Syria besieged Jerusalem, Ahaz, in spite of the warning of the prophets, purchased the aid of Tiglath-pileser of Assyria instead of relying upon Jehovah. Hezekiah, the pious son of Ahaz, wrought a great reformation; but later, by purchasing immunity from invasion, and yet later by boastfully showing his treasures to the king of Babylon, he brought about the foreign complications that finally resulted in the destruction of Judah. Sixty years of prophetic silence followed: the reformation under Hezekiah seems to have been superficial; Manasseh succeeded his father when but twelve years old and reigned fifty-five years (698-643 B.C.), a period of fatal reaction, of dreadful idolatry and fiercest persecution, in which the prophets were destroyed wholesale—a rabbinical tradition makes Isaiah the first victim. The prophets ceased till the age of Josiah.

BSB2 Kings 17:13 Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.”

中亚述期的先知。这一时期的先知竭力遏止两国中偶像崇拜与败坏的浪潮，防止立约之民背道并被仇敌毁灭。犹大与以色列的头号大敌是亚述——亚兰与埃及居次——自主前 820 年直到主前 721 年以色列覆亡，先知的目标都是要救以色列与犹大脱离亚述。此后二十一年间，犹大的这几位先知在希西家时代继续为犹大做工，直到该国得救脱离西拿基立之手。有些先知主要奉差往十支派（即以色列本部）；另一些人的信息主要是给犹大的。给以色列的先知——何西阿、阿摩司、约拿、弥迦——力图挽救以色列脱离背道与灭亡，却失败了。拜金牛犊引出了别种形式的偶像崇拜，以色列在主前 721 年被神的审判扫除。有少数蒙拣选的人拒绝了偶像崇拜，持守与耶和华所立的约，归属于犹大国；但众人都灭亡了。然而先知们成功地帮助筛出了一群忠信的余种；并藉他们论弥赛亚的话语，激励安慰忠信之人，使他们的心思与盼望转向弥赛亚降临时将要建立的、那真实而属灵的神治国度。给犹大的先知——约珥、以赛亚、俄巴底亚、弥迦——与给以色列的先知并肩做工，要救犹大免于同样的结局；撒玛利亚陷落之后，他们在希西家治下又继续工作二十余年，挫败了西拿基立的图谋。犹大那些年头多事：在乌西雅与约坦治下表面繁荣，然而奢华与情欲的放纵急剧增长，宗教礼仪迅速沦为虚文，真敬虔显然日渐凋零；而正如每逢这种衰颓之世的常态，假教师与假先知开始泛滥。在恶王亚哈斯治下，巴力崇拜与丘坛崇拜被设立，偶像崇拜几乎无处不在；当以色列王比加与亚兰王利汛围攻耶路撒冷时，亚哈斯不顾先知的警戒，不倚靠耶和华，反用财物买通亚述王提革拉毗列色来援助。亚哈斯敬虔的儿子希西家推行了一场大改革；但后来他用财物换取免于入侵，再后来又夸耀地把府库展示给巴比伦王看，由此引出了外交纠葛，最终导致犹大的覆亡。随后是六十年的『预言沉寂期』：希西家的改革似乎流于表面；玛拿西年仅十二岁继位，在位五十五年（主前 698–643 年），是一段致命的反动期，充满可怕的偶像崇拜与最酷烈的逼迫，先知被大批杀害——拉比传统说以赛亚是第一个牺牲者。直到约西亚的时代，先知才重新兴起。

ENProphets of the Babylonian period. In the closing years of the independent existence of the kingdom of Judah—from 640 to 606 B.C.—the prophets Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah and Jeremiah wrought for such ends as: (1) to save the kingdom of Judah, if possible, from impending destruction by the Chaldean or Babylonian empire; (2) to prepare the Chosen People for the seventy years of captivity and exile, with their processes of chastisement, correction and sifting; (3) to give direction in the transfer of the sphere of the Chosen People to the wider limits of the Oriental world, so as to make their religion universal. In this period Assyria passes away (625 B.C.); Media and Babylon come into prominence; Egypt with a strong dynasty measures military strength with Babylon; and Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar, her greatest ruler, becomes the overshadowing empire of the Oriental world. The historical events fall into two groups: I. The last great reform struggle, covering the reign of Josiah (640-606 B.C.)—the work of active reform closing with the eighteenth year of his reign (622 B.C.), then the hopeless struggle for thirteen years against the corruption of the people and the tide of reaction, closing with the merciful removal of Josiah by death at Megiddo, in fulfillment of prophecy (2 Kings 22:20), from the evils to come. II. The final destruction and scattering of Judah (609-582 B.C.), covering the reigns of Jehoahaz (three months), Jehoiakim (eleven years), Jehoiachin (three months), and Zedekiah (eleven years). The principal events were: (I.) the first capture of Jerusalem, 606 B.C., when Nebuchadnezzar, having defeated Pharaoh-Necho at Carchemish, took Jerusalem and carried away certain vessels of the Temple and several noble youths, among whom was Daniel—this first deportation being the beginning of the seventy years' captivity already predicted by Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11, 12; 29:10); (II.) the second capture, 598 B.C., after Jehoiakim had defiantly burned the warning prophecies of Jeremiah (Jer. 36) and rebelled against Babylon—in this second deportation the king, the principal men and the skilled artisans were carried away, only the poorer class being left behind, and among the captives were Ezekiel, not yet commissioned as a prophet, and Shimei, the grandfather of Mordecai; (III.) the third capture and the destruction of the city, 587 B.C., when Zedekiah, relying on a covenant with Pharaoh-Hophra and in spite of the warnings of Jeremiah, rebelled, and Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem for more than two years, took it, and utterly destroyed it. Gedaliah was made governor over the few left to till the land, but was assassinated by Ishmael, a Jewish fanatic of the royal family, after only two months; and the people, fearing the vengeance of the Chaldees, fled into Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them (2 Kings 25:22-26; Jer. 40-44).

BSBJeremiah 25:11 And this whole land will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.

中巴比伦期的先知。在犹大国独立存在的最后年间——主前 640 至 606 年——那鸿、哈巴谷、西番雅、耶利米四位先知所致力的目标包括：（1）若有可能，救犹大国脱离迦勒底（巴比伦）帝国迫在眉睫的毁灭；（2）预备选民迎接七十年的被掳与流亡，及其中管教、矫正、筛选的种种过程；（3）在选民活动范围被迁移到更广阔的东方世界之际给予指引，使他们的宗教得以普世化。这一时期中，亚述灭亡（主前 625 年）；玛代与巴比伦崛起；埃及以强盛的王朝与巴比伦较量军力；而巴比伦在其最伟大的君王尼布甲尼撒治下，成为笼罩东方世界的帝国。历史事件可分两组：一、最后一次大改革的争战，涵盖约西亚在位期间（主前 640–606 年）——积极改革的工作止于他在位第十八年（主前 622 年），随后是十三年对抗民众败坏与反动浪潮的无望争战，终于约西亚在米吉多阵亡——这是神怜悯地按预言（列王纪下 22:20）把他从将来的灾祸中收去。二、犹大最终的毁灭与四散（主前 609–582 年），涵盖约哈斯（三个月）、约雅敬（十一年）、约雅斤（三个月）、西底家（十一年）四朝。主要事件为：（一）主前 606 年耶路撒冷第一次被攻取：尼布甲尼撒在迦基米施击败法老尼哥后攻取耶路撒冷，掳走部分圣殿器皿与数名贵胄少年，但以理即在其中——这第一次掳掠，正是耶利米早已预言之七十年被掳的起点（耶利米书 25:11-12；29:10）。【OCR 注：原书作 ch. 35:11, 12，应为 25:11-12。】（二）主前 598 年第二次被攻取：约雅敬悍然焚烧了耶利米警戒的预言书卷（耶利米书 36 章），又背叛巴比伦；在这第二次掳掠中，君王、显要与巧匠被掳去，只剩下贫寒之人；被掳者中有尚未受命作先知的以西结，以及末底改的祖父示每。（三）主前 587 年第三次被攻取并全城被毁：西底家倚仗与法老合弗拉所立的盟约，不顾耶利米的警戒而背叛，尼布甲尼撒围城两年有余，攻破并彻底毁灭该城。基大利被立为总督，管理留下耕种田地的少数人，却在到任仅两个月后被王族中的犹太狂热分子以实玛利刺杀；百姓惧怕迦勒底人报复，逃往埃及，并把耶利米一同带去（列王纪下 25:22-26；耶利米书 40-44 章）。

ENPreparation for the future world-religion. The dispersion of the Chosen People is thus seen to be an essential part in transforming the Jewish religion from its narrow form, as the religion of a particular nation, to its universal form as the religion for the world. The centers of the dispersion were to be centers for leavening the world with the truths of the Divine religion: (1) Babylon, the capital and center of trade, learning and culture, was the center for influencing the Oriental world through such great monarchs as Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Xerxes and Artaxerxes, and through such Jews as Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Mordecai and Esther; (2) Chebar, in upper Mesopotamia, a center for skilled artisans and the common people, was a fit place for reaching those classes, and for Ezekiel to train a remnant to return for the restoring of the Temple and Jerusalem; (3) the colony in Egypt prepared the way for leavening the Greek and Roman world, when Alexandria became, later in history, the center of Greek learning and philosophy and the scene of the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament Scriptures. The prophets of the Exile—Ezekiel and Daniel—played a most important part in directing the Jews under the divine discipline, in the permanent settlement of the masses of them in the Babylonian empire, and in sifting out and training a remnant for return to Jerusalem when the seventy years should expire. A twofold work needed to be done in correcting false expectations and sustaining the Messianic hopes: Ezekiel was commissioned for the work among the exiles on the river Chebar, Daniel for the work among the exiles in Babylon. A twofold work needed also to be done in outlining the future history: the one having reference to the more immediate future, committed to Ezekiel, who sketches the judgments upon their enemies and their own restoration, and symbolically pictures the new Temple and the new regulations for the people and the land; the other embracing the more remote future, entrusted to Daniel, who spreads before them in broad panorama the history of the great coming races till the Advent, and that of the Kingdom of God stretching out beyond. Their combined work was that of cutting loose the Chosen People from the old traditional ideas and institutions, and of setting clearly before them the coming spiritual Kingdom of Messiah.

BSBDaniel 2:44 In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever.

中为将来的世界宗教作预备。由此可见，选民的分散乃是不可少的一环，它使犹太宗教从『一族之教』的狭窄形态，转变为『世界之教』的普世形态。分散的各中心，正是要成为以神圣宗教之真理使世界发酵的中心：（1）巴比伦，作为首都与商贸、学术、文化的中心，是影响东方世界的据点——藉尼布甲尼撒、居鲁士、亚哈随鲁、亚达薛西等大君王，也藉但以理、以斯拉、尼希米、末底改、以斯帖等犹太人；（2）美索不达米亚北部的迦巴鲁河，是巧匠与平民聚居的中心，适合触及东方各族中的这些阶层，也适合以西结在此训练一批余种，日后归回重建圣殿与耶路撒冷；（3）埃及的侨居地则为日后使希腊罗马世界发酵铺路——历史稍后，亚历山大城成为希腊学术与哲学的中心，也是旧约《七十士译本》诞生之地。被掳期的先知——以西结与但以理——在以下几件事上举足轻重：在神的管教之下引导犹太人；使其大多数人在巴比伦帝国内安定下来；并筛选、训练一批余种，等七十年期满后归回耶路撒冷。有一项双重工作需要完成：矫正错误的期待，扶持弥赛亚的盼望——以西结受命在迦巴鲁河边的被掳者中做工，但以理受命在巴比伦城中的被掳者中做工。还有一项双重工作，是勾画未来的历史：其一关乎较近的将来，交托以西结，他勾勒出对仇敌的审判与选民自己的复兴，并以象征手法描绘新殿以及为百姓与土地所定的新条例；其二涵盖较远的将来，交托但以理，他在选民面前铺开一幅宏阔的全景——直到基督降临之前列大族的历史，以及此后绵延不尽的神国历史。他们合力所作的工，就是把选民从旧有的传统观念与制度中松开，并把弥赛亚将要来临的属灵国度清楚地摆在他们面前。

ENThe prophets of the Restoration. The written prophecies of the Old Testament came to a close with the prophets of the Restoration—Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi—who appeared after Cyrus had overthrown the Chaldean monarchy and established the Persian, or Medo-Persian, empire in its place. Their mission covers a period of about a century: it was the restoration of Jerusalem as a religious center for the Jews and for the world until Christ should come, and the re-establishment of its religious condition with that end in view. The return of a remnant of the Babylonian exiles came by the decree of Cyrus, the Persian king (2 Chron. 36:22, 23)—whom Isaiah two centuries before had called the shepherd and the anointed of the Lord (Isa. 44:28; 45:1)—in B.C. 536, the first year of his reign at Babylon. Comparatively few—a faithful remnant—were willing to exchange the worldly wealth and comfort they had found in heathendom for the inconveniences and privations that must necessarily attend their return to their motherland. Successive companies, however, returned at intervals: in 536 B.C. under Zerubbabel; in 458 B.C. under Ezra; in 445 B.C. under Nehemiah. The first company, led by Prince Zerubbabel, a grandson of Jehoiachin, and the high priest Jeshua, consisted of nearly fifty thousand Jews, bearing 5400 vessels of the Temple; their mission was the rebuilding of the Temple and the restoration of the religious position of the Chosen People at Jerusalem as a center. The Samaritans, their offer of aid having been declined, succeeded in stopping the work by calumnies and false reports that reached the ear of the king; but Darius Hystaspis, sixteen years after the work had been begun, gave the Jews permission to proceed, and, animated and encouraged by Haggai and Zechariah, they completed and consecrated the Temple in 516 B.C. It remained without the Ark of the Covenant, which had been lost, and with the Holy of Holies vacant. The second company went up in 458 B.C., led by Ezra, a scribe in the law of Moses and a descendant of Seraiah the high priest. The special mission of Ezra was the restoration of the Law—or rather of the Divine religion of salvation in its fuller development and more complete form; in the prosecution of which several things are to be noted: (1) the completion of the canon of Old Testament Scriptures, by gathering into it and editing all the sacred books; (2) the outward reformation of the people, by calling them to repent and to put away their heathen wives and all their evil practices; (3) the thorough instruction and training of the people in the Divine religion as embodied in the canon, in order to start aright the new and more spiritual development in faith, life and worship. The third company went up thirteen years later, in 445 B.C., led by Nehemiah, the cup-bearer of Artaxerxes; his mission was the restoration of the civil condition of the Jews, preparatory to their waiting for the Advent. He rebuilt the walls with the co-operation of Ezra, in spite of the Samaritans, and after twelve years devoted to this work returned to Persia.

BSBEzra 1:2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah.

中归回期的先知。旧约的成文预言止于归回期的先知——哈该、撒迦利亚、玛拉基；他们出现在居鲁士推翻迦勒底王朝、代之以波斯（玛代波斯）帝国之后。他们的使命涵盖约一个世纪：就是要恢复耶路撒冷作为犹太人与全世界的宗教中心，直到基督降临；并以此为目标重建它的宗教状况。被掳巴比伦者中余种的归回，是藉波斯王居鲁士的诏令（历代志下 36:22-23）——以赛亚在两百年前就称他为耶和华的牧人与受膏者（以赛亚书 44:28；45:1）——事在主前 536 年，即他在巴比伦作王的元年。相对而言，只有少数人——一群忠信的余种——甘愿舍下他们在外邦之地所得的世俗财富与安逸，去换取归回故土所必然伴随的种种不便与困乏。然而仍有几批人陆续返回：主前 536 年由所罗巴伯率领；主前 458 年由以斯拉率领；主前 445 年由尼希米率领。第一批由所罗巴伯（约雅斤之孙）与大祭司耶书亚率领，人数近五万，带回圣殿器皿五千四百件；他们的使命是重建圣殿，并恢复选民在耶路撒冷这一中心的宗教地位。撒玛利亚人协助的提议被拒后，便以谗言与不实的奏报上达王耳，成功地阻断了工程；但工程动工十六年后，大流士·希斯塔斯庇斯准许犹太人继续兴工，他们在哈该与撒迦利亚的激励鼓舞之下，于主前 516 年建成并奉献了圣殿。殿中没有约柜（约柜已失），至圣所是空的。第二批于主前 458 年上去，由以斯拉率领——他是通达摩西律法的文士，大祭司西莱雅的后裔。以斯拉特殊的使命是恢复律法，或者更确切地说，是恢复那救恩的神圣宗教，使之得着更充分的展开与更完备的形态；在推行这使命的过程中，有几件事值得注意：（1）旧约正典的完成——把一切圣书收入其中并加以编订；（2）百姓外在的改革——呼召他们悔改，休弃外邦妻子，除去一切恶行；（3）以正典所载的神圣宗教彻底教导训练百姓，好使信仰、生活与敬拜上那新的、更属灵的发展有一个正确的开端。第三批在十三年后即主前 445 年上去，由亚达薛西的酒政尼希米率领；他的使命是恢复犹太人的政治民生状况，为他们等候基督降临作预备。他不顾撒玛利亚人的阻挠，与以斯拉同工重建了城墙，并在为此工作十二年后返回波斯。